AAUW Announces 2017–18 Awardees

Nonprofit awards $3.7 million to 250 women and projects

WASHINGTON — The American Association of University Women (AAUW) has announced awards of $3.7 million to its 2017–18 class of fellows and grantees. These 250 recipients represent diverse backgrounds, locations, and areas of study but have one thing in common: They all aim to promote equity for women and girls.

“AAUW fellows and grantees have contributed to — and will continue to impact — so much of the world at large,” said Kim Churches, the chief executive officer of AAUW. “These trailblazers are breaking the mold in nontraditional fields and redefining what leadership and expertise look like. AAUW is proud to provide the critical resources necessary to help them excel in their chosen fields.”

AAUW is one of the world’s leading supporters of graduate women’s education, having awarded more than $100 million in fellowships, grants, and awards to 12,000 women and projects from more than 140 countries since 1888. Candidates are evaluated on the basis of scholarly excellence, quality and originality of project design, and active commitment to helping women and girls through service in their communities, professions, or fields of research.

AAUW fellowship funding helps women manage the growing burden of student debt, an issue that disproportionately affects women. Unique to AAUW’s program, funding may also be used to pay for expenses outside of those traditionally associated with academic study. Funding may be applied to such expenses as child care and transportation — necessities that can improve recipients’ retention and success in graduate programs.

“We are thrilled to have this year’s awardees join a 129-year legacy of notable alumnae,” said Gloria Blackwell, AAUW’s vice president of fellowships, grants, and global programs. “Recipients now join the ranks of past awardees including Nobel Prize-winning scientist Marie Curie, journalist Melissa Harris-Perry, Ph.D., and astronaut Judith Resnik, Ph.D., to name a few. These awards change lives and these scholars, they change the world.”

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) empowers women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Our nonpartisan, nonprofit organization has more than 170,000 members and supporters across the United States, as well as 1,000 local branches and more than 800 college and university members. Since AAUW’s founding in 1881, our members have examined and taken positions on the fundamental issues of the day — educational, social, economic, and political. AAUW’s fellowships and grants have helped scholars and activists overcome barriers to education and advancement for nearly 130 years. Learn more and join us at www.aauw.org.